A much-loved pet pooch who led strangers from East Kilbride and beyond on a mass hunt has been reunited with his family.
Six-year-old German Shepherd, Nico, is back home in Lindsayfield with Andy Farmer and his family after being missing for more than 24 hours.
Lanarkshire Live previously told how "big softie" Nico took fright at other dogs in a field near the town's Calderside Road, while out with his dog walker.
Andy put an appeal out on social media - even sleeping in the field where he ran off - in the hope Nico would return.
He went missing last Tuesday morning and Village Blinds owner, Andy, and his partner and children feared the worst.
But folk from all over Lanarkshire and beyond turned out in force to help in the search and around 9.30pm last Wednesday night he was found in the Calderwood area - with the lure of a sausage on a BBQ proving too much.
Andy told Lanarkshire Live: "We are all so relieved he's back with us safe and sound. My four-year-old stepson was absolutely heartbroken. He's not left Nico's side since he has come home.
"He and his five-year-old brother and my 18-year-old daughter have grown up with Nico - he is so much part of the family.
"I just couldn't get over how far our appeal reached. It was shared thousands of times by folk for a dog they didn't even know.
"And I lost count of how many people actually joined the hunt, easily 40 on the Tuesday on foot - it was incredible and I can't thank everyone enough."
Andy went to great lengths to be reunited with Nico, who he has had since he was a 12-week-old pup.
"I slept in the field in the car on the Tuesday night with his bed, blankets, toys, some of my clothes. I had a BBQ going with food on it in the hope the scent would bring him back.
"And to my amazement people came from as far as Glasgow and Craigneuk to the field to see if they could help - I even had one person bring me a Costa coffee at five in the morning.
"Folk in Waverly and Kenilworth in Calderwood even were leaving food out for Nico as we though he was in that area."
It was eventually the draw of sausages on the BBQ that eventually drew Nico out of hiding in a wooded area.
"We seemed to lure him out with some sausages in the end and it was the quick thinking of a local taxi driver called Alan and a few dog walkers that got him back," Andy added.
"Nico went in the direction of the C'mon Inn in Calderwood and Alan and the dog walkers blocked off either end of the road and Alan managed to get him over to the car and grab him.
"When Alan called me and said 'I've got him', I was practically in tears. They are like your babies - albeit your fur babies and the family is complete again now he's back with us."
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